More Memories Of Seve

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In no particular order...

James Lawton on Seve's passing:

Life isn't a game, of course, but the tragedy behind the glory of Seve Ballesteros was that sometimes he plainly found it hard to distinguish between the two. He wept unashamedly in defeat and was distraught when he finished second as a 19-year-old at the Open at Royal Birkdale in 1976. Ballesteros always lived in the moment, and if such anguish was hard to understand after he had been beaten only by the superstar American Johnny Miller, and tied with Jack Nicklaus, it was soon enough widely understood that the thin, intense youth played only to win. It wasn't considered an ambition; it was a birthright.

He won three Opens along with his Masters titles, and each time he won a major he seemed to journey a little deeper into the improbable, even the surreal.

Peter Alliss's memories of Seve.

He could also be awkward. He could shut down a party with a look. That is the kind of power and charisma he had. But he loved the game, he loved to play, he just loved hitting balls. He was more than a golfer, he was a global star. It was such a shame that a life like his should end like it did. They were a very sad last two years, living in a bloody big house overlooking the Bay of Santander with a housekeeper and his brothers popping in. His family lived in Madrid and he was largely on his own. He knew he was dying. It was very sad.

I last saw him a couple of months ago. We went down to film a documentary. He lived in some style. You went into his garage and you discovered a Lamborghini and a Ferrari. He'd had them for years but they had fewer than 4,000 miles on the clock. A dealer friend of mine asked me to ask Seve if he wanted to sell them.

He offered Seve a decent price but he wanted a million pounds each for them because 'they belong to me'.

Thanks to reader Stuart for Ewen Murray's memories of Seve.

I first met Seve when he was a teenager at the under 25 championship in Evian.

It was a practice round and this engaging Spaniard arrived on the first tee with some dodgy-looking shoes and minus the full compliment of clubs.

My first question was: who are you caddying for? "I am playing," was the reply.

After a few holes, I realized I was in special company and it was the beginning of a friendship that would last until his untimely death of such a brutal illness.

Former caddy Billy Foster remembers the man and shares a few favorite stories courtesy of Kevin Garside.

Greg Turner is interviewed by Martin Davidson.

''He was bloody kind with his time. Any time I saw him going to the practice green I'd head over there as well. He was very free with his advice and he'd spend a lot of time with you, talking you through stuff. For a young guy that was purely inspirational.''

John Huggan on why we'll never see another like him.

It is no exaggeration to say that we will never see his like again. Quite apart from the fact that the explosion in club and ball technology over the last 20 years or so has left professional golf all but bereft of the subtle shot-making, touch and artistry Seve took to previously unexplored levels, the Spaniard played, to paraphrase the great Bobby Jones' famous description of Jack Nicklaus, "a game with which no-one else was familiar". Added to which he was the ultimate competitor, as his 50 European Tour victories - a record - and 87 worldwide wins so graphically indicate.

Mike Clayton remembers the man and some of his most important victories.

The Spaniard won his first major championship at Royal Lytham in 1979, beating a white handkerchief-waving Hale Irwin, a clinically accurate American who only a month earlier had won his national Open. Seve clattered the ball all over the links from the tee but in one of the most staggering performances on a brutally difficult course he holed the most improbable of putts, hit the most perfect bunker shots and then finished off Irwin, Nicklaus, Ben Crenshaw and Australian Rodger Davis when he made a birdie at the 16th after driving into the carpark.

The orthodox and normally ruthless Irwin could not stomach a man burying him on the golf course whilst missing fairway after fairway with a swing that showed little regard for orthodoxy.

A very nice compilation of quotes from Seve's peers on the Champions Tour includes this from Nick Price:

"What he did for European golf was what Tiger Woods did for worldwide golf. The European Tour would not be where it is now if it were not for Seve. His allegiance to the European Tour was admirable. I mean the guy was an icon; just an incredible golfer. I've always said most of us could shoot 65 in about 30 or 40 ways. He could do it about 10,000 different ways. He could miss every fairway, chip in five times, hole two bunker shots...what a sad day today. He was so creative around the greens. It didn't matter if there was a tree or bunker, he'd figure out a way to get up and down. He and I had a great duel at Royal Lytham in 1988. It was a great day for each of us. I remember the seventh hole he made an eagle right on top of me. I remember after we played that hole that one of us was going to win because we were both playing so well that day and neither of us was going to back down. He was always very kind to me. Whatever you may have heard about him, his love for the game and his competitiveness was something I learned so much from.

Richard Goldstein files the New York Times obituary.

GolfDigest.com compiles the golf world's Tweets on Seve.

Garry Smits on a nice gesture from Tim Clark in advance of The Players.

Defending champion Tim Clark of South Africa, who won last year in stunning fashion with a weekend sprint to the top, has asked the PGA Tour to take his nation's flag down a week before usual.

On Clark's direction, his agent called Players Championship media official Laura Hill Saturday evening and asked that the Spanish fly be flown atop the Circle of Champions this week instead of the South African flag, a gesture he is making to Seve Ballesteros, the Hall of Fame player from Spain who died early Saturday of a brain tumor.

Hill got the word to the right people and the Spanish flag will be hoisted over the landmark at the bottom of the hill between the clubhouse and the practice area beginning Sunday morning. At the base of the flag are plaques commemorating each Players winner. Ballesteros never won the tournament but for a week his career will be honored as if he had.

Services are planned for Wednesday. The PGA Tour will suspend play Sunday on all tour events for one minute at 3:08 ET.

An ESPN phone interview with Jack Nicklaus.



R.I.P. Seve Ballesteros**

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The news was foreshadowed but it doesn't make it any easier knowing how much one of the great sportsmen suffered. Tributes to come...

John Huggan at GolfDigest.com

Ewan Murray for The Guardian.

Sarah Rainsford of BBC.

An unbylined story on Jose Maria Olazabal's emotions Saturday:

"Obviously, he has been present all the time,'' he said. "Our relationship was so close. I always felt privileged for all the moments that we shared together, and there have been many. Even though I knew what the situation was, when the moment arrives you are never sufficiently prepared.''

Playing partner Colin Montgomerie said Olazabal was "in floods of tears most of the day. He has lost an older brother almost.''

"It was very difficult to get too much out of Jose Maria - he was very tearful and filling up. You could see in his eyes the great loss he feels and they've been a great support for each other. He did well to play at all today,'' said Montgomerie, who partnered with Ballesteros in a number of Ryder Cups. "It was his brother, really. It was a very, very sad day for him.''

Nick Faldo: "I am deeply saddened by the news on the passing of Seve.  He had a real impact on me and on my life in this sport.  He was a leader; bringing the spotlight to the European Tour, paving the way to European success at the Masters and bringing his relentless passion to the Ryder Cup.   Today I would call him, Cirque du Soleil.  For golf, he was the greatest show on earth.   I was a fan and so fortunate I had front row seat."

Randall Mell with comments from Paul Azinger.

Bob Harig on his passing with a Sportscenter video tribute as well.

Craig Dolch with a variety of player memories of Seve the golfer.

And Peter Alliss's final interview with Seve, now viewable outside of the UK.

**More:

Golf Digest has posted a page of Seve stories from over the years.

They've also posted this slideshow. No one photographed like Seve.

Alistair Tait's memories.

SI/golf.com has a special Seve Tribute page.

John Garrity recalls the legend.

SI provides a photo gallery recalling the man.

AP video:

Seve: "Suffered a severe deterioration."

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From the European Tour site, courtesy of reader Patrick:

"The Ballesteros family informs that Seve’s neurological condition has suffered a severe deterioration. The family will inform accordingly about any change in his health condition and takes this opportunity of thanking everyone for the support that both Seve and his own family have been receiving during all this time."

Reader David shared this longer Guardian story by Ewan Murray.

"To create a great golf course -- a fair golf course - playable by all, that's my philosophy."

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Paul Gittings profiles Martin Hawtree, The Donald's second architect for his Scotland project and next in line to be blamed for something. In the meantime, he talks about creating plans and about fairness, two things you generally don't want to hear when someone is building a links course.
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“When we’re trying to get 156 players this week, which means there is going to be 26 groups on 18 holes."

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In light of Sunday's Webb Simpson ruling, Larry Dorman looks at the role of a PGA Tour rules staff member. Besides having to deal with brouhahas, their main goal is to figure out how to move players around the course each week and finish 72 holes on Sunday. Increasingly, you hear them say things like this about field sizes.
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Sabbo, O'Hair Cat Fight Is Over Slow Play!

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Considering that Sean O'Hair is a turtle and Rory Sabbatini is a rabbit, I'm not surprised by the revelation in Alex Miceli's look at the man-spat that broke out between the two PGA Tour giants.

According to sources, Sabbatini spent much of last Thursday and Friday complaining about the speed of play.  Eventually he asked O’Hair directly if he thought the speed of play was a problem and reportedly O’Hair said the problem was Sabbatini. Sources said O’Hair told Sabbatini that playing in a group with Sabbatini, a known speed-of-play advocate, was equal to a two-shot penalty for his playing competitors.

Steve Elling quotes Sabbatini after Wednesday's pro-am round, and he is playing dumb.

Pointedly asked after the pro-am if he was facing a suspension or under scrutiny, Sabbatini was equal parts defiant and testy.

"No, that is just all rumor, bud," he said. "You are going based on a rumor. How many times do I have to tell you?"

Pat Perez, the third player in the group in New Orleans, on Wednesday repeatedly declined to describe the altercation, which took place in a tee box during the second round.

"I am not going to be the guy on the front page," Perez said Wednesday at the tournament site. "It's for us to sort out."

There goes Pat's chances of winning the Jim Murray Award!

"The members decided an auction was the quickest and easiest solution for the club that’s been around roughly a half century."

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Thanks to Del for Dawn Wotapka's Wall Street Journal blog item on the May 10 auction of Oak Lane Country Club in Woodbridge, Conn., which the item says is "the latest sign of trouble in the golf-club industry."

With the reserve price set at $1.6 million, the club’s sale price starts at a song. But bidding could be intense. With large tracts of residentially zoned land rare in the crowded Northeast, everyone from developers to church congregations have shown interest, says Oren Klein, partner and auctioneer for Tranzon Integrated Property Group.

The buyer might not be a golf course operator: Players continue to abandon golf – a single game can take several hours – in favor of quicker, easier and more affordable activities. Fewer club members equals lower revenue.

The things you learn from the WSJ!

At one point, Oak Lane club had several hundred members, but that has fallen to around 200, which didn’t generate enough money to pay the bills, according to Mr. Klein. Plus, several nearby courses pose stiff competition for everything from green fees to catering orders.

“The numbers don’t work anymore,” he says. “They’re in default with their mortgage.”

The members decided an auction was the quickest and easiest solution for the club that’s been around roughly a half century.

Golf Club In Rio Throws Its Bucket Cap Into The Olympic Golf Mix

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You can just imagine what the architects backstabbing each other to get the job will think of this. For Immediate Release:

2016 Olympic Golf Tournament: Itanhangá Golf Club Board of Delegates Approves Plan to Host 2016 Olympic Golf Tournament, Garners Support of Pelé

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – May 4th, 2011 – During its monthly board meeting on Sunday May 1st, 2011, the Itanhangá Golf Club board of delegates authorized club president, Arthur Porto Pires Jr., to proceed with the club’s plan to host the 2016 Olympic Golf Tournament.  In a letter addressed to Peter Dawson, president of the International Golf Federation (IGF) sent via e-mail on April 21, 2011, Mr. Pires expressed his club’s desire to host the 2016 tournament.  “The choice of Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Olympics is a just reason for Brazilians to celebrate and an opportunity for us at Itanhangá to have our premises considered by [the] IGF and the Olympic Committee to host the golf competition,” said Mr. Pires in the letter.

Itanhangá Golf Club is one of two existing golf clubs within the city limits of Rio de Janeiro that is under consideration to host to the 2016 tournament.  After extensive analysis Itanhangá has emerged as the only existing club with the necessary space to host a championship tournament of this scale.  Itanhangá Golf Club encompasses nearly three hundred picturesque acres centrally located just minutes from the Olympic Village.  The club features two courses totaling twenty-seven holes (an 18-hole tournament course and a 9-hole practice course), a sprawling grass driving range, and an extensive clubhouse area with a spacious modern locker room facility. 

The 18-hole tournament course will require minor improvements including the addition of approximately six hundred yards in order to adapt the course to the contract requirements of the IGF and International Olympic Committee (IOC).

600 yards...minor?

A number of course design professionals including representatives from the IGF have visited Itanhangá and have confirmed the course’s tournament potential subject to the necessary improvements.  

Oh they just want the work!

An initial survey completed by the club has shown that these improvements can be funded through the club’s share of tournament commercial operations revenue and will not require a large expenditure from the government.

In his letter to Mr. Dawson, Mr. Pires highlighted Itanhangá’s track record of hosting professional golf tournaments. “Itanhangá is consistently chosen for major Brazilian and international events for its world-class, though not overly difficult layout, and its spectacular natural setting and beauty,” he said in the letter.  The European Tour chose Itanhangá to hold their first Latin American event in 1999, and the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) has made a yearly tour stop at Itanhangá since 2009.

In addition to providing a major championship caliber venue, Itanhangá’s Olympic project entitled “Olympic Dream Itanhangá 2016,” promises to leave a lasting social legacy on the local community while promoting interest in the game of golf in Brazil.  “In light of the other alternatives that have been suggested for the tournament including the costly construction of a new municipal course on an sensitive wetlands area, Itanhangá felt obligated to offer a solution that is socially, fiscally, and environmentally responsible,” exclaimed Mr. Pires.